UNESCO Chair in Arts and Learning

On 6 July, 2007, a UNESCO Chair in Arts and Learning was established at the Faculty of Education, Queen’s University with an initial mandate of two years.  The Chair’s mandate was renewed in 2009.   This was the first UNESCO Chair in the field of arts education in the world, and remains one of only two to be approved by UNESCO to date.  The Chair has been active on a number of fronts related to its national, regional and international mission of capacity building in arts education.  It collaborates with other UNESCO Chairs and Observatories in Canada and around the world.

The Chair has had a significant impact both nationally and internationally.  In the domain of network building, the Chair provides leadership and a home base for the Canadian Network for Arts and Learning. The Network brings together leaders and practitioners from a wide constituency in a collaborative mission to promote arts and learning as an intrinsic component of human culture; as an instrument for achieving a wide range of essential learning goals; and as a means to resolving the social and cultural challenges facing the world today through building peace, cultural diversity and intercultural understanding.   

In the field of research, the Chair’s project on Creativity in Arts Education has disseminated its findings and is currently preparing a book for publication.  The Chair’s project on e-Learning for drama teachers has continued to find ways to promote international capacity building.  The AIRS project, with which the Chair is associated, has mobilized researchers in an investigation of many aspects of singing.  A project on International Monitoring and Comparative Research in Arts Education – reporting for UNESCO represents a collaboration with other UNESCO Chairs and Observatories and colleagues from more than 20 countries.

The Chair has continued its commitment to enhance communications in the field through several initiatives including an electronic newsletter, the production of new webcasts and the work of the Chairholder as editor of two important journals.  The Chair has made valuable resources available to build capacity among arts education professionals.

The Chair has contributed substantially to organizing important events including the annual Canadian Symposium on Arts and Learning and the 2nd UNESCO World Conference on Arts Education.  The Canadian Symposium is the major, national gathering point in Canada for arts and learning.  The Seoul Agenda; Goals for the development of arts education, produced by the UNESCO World Conference under the leadership of the Chairholder is beginning to influence policy makers around the world.